Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has drawn up his 2012 ‘Galactico’ summer shopping list and guess who tops it? Wayne Rooney!
According to El Economista the Manchester United forward has emerged as Real’s primary target next summer after Barcelona President Sandro Rosell confirmed the Catalan’s had signed a deal to buy Brazilian star Neymar in 2014. It was only last week that the 19 year-old had reportedly signed for ‘Los Blancos’ in a £48m deal until his current club Santos quashed those rumours by claiming Neymar had signed a new two-year contract extension.
This will come as a massive kick in the teeth for Madrid, not only to have had the Brazilian international snatched from their grasp by arch rivals Barcelona, but because they have invested a huge amount of time tracking the wonderkid’s progress.
However, Florentino Perez will now turn his attention to capturing Wayne Rooney by working with coach Jose Mourinho to try and convince United to sell their star man next year. Mourinho is a long-term admirer of the England striker and Perez is said to desire Rooney more than Neymar due to the marketability of the player and his ‘pull’ in the Asian market. It’s clear United would not want to sell their prized-asset but if the Premiership Champions are to have an unsuccessful season the door to a possible transfer could open with Real knowing they would have to make a similar bid to the £80m that prised Cristiano Ronaldo away from Old Trafford in 2009.
Florentino Perez’s philosophy of signing world renown stars has dwindled somewhat over the previous two years with Madrid failing to sign what they would consider to be a ‘Galactico’ so the Real President has made it his prerogative to bring in three or four important signings to the forward line next summer. The form of Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain this season will have impressed Mourinho but neither will be exempt from a Bernabeu exit.
Fernando Llorente, Athletico Bilbao’s 6ft 5in striker is another one of the Portuguese coach’s long-term interests and the 26 year-old would provide an alternative to a Madrid side whilst fitting perfectly into a Mourinho style system. Bilbao do not want to sell their main man so Real would have to make a bid of €36m to activate his release clause.
Others on Perez’s summer wish-list include Manchester City’s Argentine rebel, Carlos Tevez, Arsenal’s in-form hotshot Robin van Persie, Sevilla’s tricky winger Jesus Navas, and Tottenham’s marauding left-back/winger, Gareth Bale. Barcelona are also reported to be interested in the Welshman, and nothing would please Perez more than stealing Bale from under the noses of their Catalan rivals in the same way they have done with Neymar. The £34m price tag could prove to be a stumbling block though.
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United had to double Rooney’s wages to keep him from Manchester City. He would be there now if not for masked men threatening him at his home.
I would love to see Bale here in Spain, but all these transfers are really up to Manchester City. They have stealthily become the best team ever to play in the premiership by a long way, and have more money than the rest of the premiership, la liga and serie A put together.
Manchester City are the sexy team right now, in the toughest, richest league. Why would Rooney or Bale come to our 2 horse race in the next part of the eurozone to go tits-up? And Rooney has a complexion which doesn’t look like it suits the sun.
£34 M for Bale…is this another one of those wonderful ‘pulled from the air’ figures?
The Summer’s Modric-Gate farrago should have got the message out – Spurs are intent on holding on to their top players, and only the type of figures teams have to pay United of r’their’ top stars is likely to soften that stance.
And Spurs are about to sign Messi in the January window according to the same source as this article.
Are you saying we won’t?
A little Cock-rel, told me Messi was seen at Gatwick landin. And Arri said…Awhh Rite ma old mucker.I couldna call ye on the dog and bone.Lets go af a swift wan.See what we can fix!
Take a deep breathe! Lol.
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Lets get the source correctly in first place, hardly a recognised bastion of football knowledge, with regards to what is happening in the United Kingdom.
I some how do not see Paul Stretford or his ilk being fluent in Spanish.Nor indeed Wayne.
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I can think of many United supporters that would be delighted at this new.Great lets take this imaginary money and tip it down the ‘toilet’Like the Ronaldo money….gone in a black hole.
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Ronaldo wanted to leave to his boy hood dream club.He was not held back.Only two players in the history of United have left our club, to further their careers, Rony and Pique…full stop.
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He likes it in the North West of England he is more family orientated than you can imagine.( No jokes now).
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He is currently the third highest player in the world, behind Messi and Ronaldo, rightly so when looking at them.He does not have their ability or skill.Why would he move for ‘money’.He is already minted.He is winning medals and success at the Biggest Club in the world.
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He recently signed a 5 year contract.I know contracts are not worth the paper they are written, but none -the-less.He would not be a ‘judas’.
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He scores every 2nd game as an average for United.Why would let our leading goal scorer leave.Other than the Glazer.
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He needs regular vists to his Harley Street hair specialist to ensure his weave is staying in place.:)